Human-Wildlife Conflict: Centre advises swift compensation, active role of Gram Panchayats, use of Fasal Bima Yojana to state governments

Better management of human-wildlife conflict proposed! The central government has issued an advisory to the state governments for better management of the human-wildlife conflicts in the country. Among the measures suggested by the government include empowering the Gram Panchayats to deal with the problematic wild animals, utilising the funds of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana for crop damage by wild beasts and arranging fodder and water sources within the forest areas among others. The advisory was issued by the Standing Committee of National Board of Wildlife(SC-NBWL) in its meeting which had taken place on Tuesday.

Reducing human wildlife conflict through Gram Panchayats
The empowerment of the Gram Panchayats to deal with the increasing human wildlife conflict was the main highlight of the advisory in accordance with the section 11 (1) (b) of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The government board said that utilising the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to compensate the farmers who have suffered crop damage due to the wild animals and arrangement of fodder and water within the forest areas are some vital steps that could reduce the number of human wildlife conflicts. In the wake of many human wildlife conflict cases resulting in the death of people and serious injury, the board recommended that some portion of the ex-gratia compensation should be handed over to the victim or victim’s family in less than 24 hours after the occurence of the incident.

State govts to identify hotspots where human wildlife conflicts take place

Among other measures recommended by the board are the adoption of early warning systems, creation of barriers, toll free hotline numbers for emergency situations among others. The board also advised the state governments to identify the hotspots where frequent human-wildlife conflicts take place. The incidents related to the entry of wild animals in the human residential areas have increased in recent years with several videos of big cats, elephants, and other wild life animals causing havoc doing rounds on social media. Wildlife experts have highlighted the shrinking space for the wildlife animals as the main reason for the human-wildlife conflicts.